A Simple Game of Chess
by Renflower21
Summary: Pein contemplates the game of chess, and it's similarities to the real life battle that he is fighting. Pein's POV, oneshot. Please R&R!


**A/N: To clear up confusion: RookCastle in most modern chessboards. The point of the game is to capture the king piece. A checkmate is when you win, and what you say when there's no more moves for the opponent to make that would save his king. A stalemate is when neither side can win nor lose. A draw. I'm not too chess-smart myself, truthfully…but anyways, good or bad, please review! It's not that hard…so please do so! This is dedicated to any loyal readers I may have…thank you so much.**

"Checkmate."

My hand sweeps the board and pushes the chess pieces, back to their desired starting positions. It's the tenth time I've done this. One elbow rests comfortably on the edge of the wooden chessboard I've long prided myself on obtaining. The craftsmanship alone should have set the price well over my price range. It's an antique, on top of that, said to be used by some of the greatest strategists of all time. I had to search long and far for it…on my own time, of course. Madara would never approve of such a thing. But then again, I have my suspicions that he's simply a sore loser. He's never won a game against me, and has now come to refuse my requests in regard to playing against him in the game of chess. Of course, this applies to all strategy games; chess just happens to be my favorite. The controlling of the pieces in a manner of sacrifice and prediction, forcing your opponent into a corner, it's mentally stimulating and exciting.

Sitting and staring patiently at the board, I scan the pieces with a sense of almost serene calculation. Rushing is something that brings nothing but mistakes, and even the slightest of these can lead to your inevitable ruin and downfall. This game I'm playing isn't about winning, it's about improving my strategy and analytical analysis of the board. Not, of course, that it's possible for me to lose. My opponent is, after all, myself. No one else bothers to join me in a game of chess anymore, because it is simply too boring for them, or for some it may be because I've never lost. The reason for my constant striving to improve at this has nothing to do with winning the game, or even the game itself. It is the real life game I'm playing that really matters, and the better my strategy and analyzing of situations, the more chance I have at winning the only game of chess I've ever truly been passionate about. That is, if I _could _actually feel passion.

The way I see it, this entire organization is compiled of nothing more than chess pieces, set up with him as the supreme controller. I can move the pieces any way I want, so long as it follows the rules of the game. On the opposite side of the board, are the demon children and the key ninja that fought for them. The Kyuubi is set not as the King piece, but as the Queen one, which is known for it's powerful range of attacks that make it a vital piece…and one of the best to capture. The King is, put quite simply, what would be obtained after the combination of the capture all the key pieces, in the meantime doing nothing to help the others. It is the jutsu I will someday create. Most of the pieces on that opposite side have, fortunately, already been captured. Only a few still remain.

My side of the board is growing scarcer of pieces as well, I am well aware of this. The most recent lost piece was not that at all, though. It was a sacrifice on behalf of the King. Losing Itachi, we've gained another more valuable piece from the other side. I give the man that much credit at least, that he was able to fully cross the board and land us this. Though it was, of course, against his will. I was simply controlling him to do what would be best for me. I have many pawns…very many indeed. These are the lower-ranking members of mine. Of course, there are the others still. There's Deidara, for one, who cleared the path for Itachi's sacrifice. I'd place him as a rook, good in terms of movements and possibilities, and most powerful near the end of the game. A quite valuable piece. He was sacrificed for a piece of even greater value, though. Sasori could also be considered a rook, I suppose. As for Zetsu, he would probably be placed as a bishop. If the pawns are manipulated correctly, their range of movement is quite remarkable. The king, the most vital piece, is obviously Madara. He is the one that needs to be protected. Barely attacking, and with a limited show of the true importance of this piece, the king is the key to my entire side. Madara is the key.

When I contemplate about which piece Konan would be, I generally come to the conclusion that she must be the queen. It is difficult to place her, though, because of my reluctance to call her a tool. Although she is very much one, she is the most important tool of them all. In fact, she's almost a partner to me, helping to control the pieces rather than being one. Yet, I am still a single player, a one on one battle with the ultimate opponent. Konan, the angel of the playing board, plays the role of the queen perfectly. Powerful beyond what she lets on, she is a key player on the board. Her range is better than any of the other pieces, and as such, she can easily move through enemy lines. I preserve her carefully, though, for I do not wish to risk something so important to me and to the game. I handle her very delicately, and in such use her to her full advantage.

This game will be long and tedious, that much has made itself clear. The opponent is clearly clever, and the pieces are moved with great skill. Of course, I make sure the same is true of my side. Placing each of the real pieces across the chessboard, I quickly capture the queen. Obviously, this fictional opponent of mine had given me an opening. I'd have to fix that. I did, after all, want this game to be equally matched and thought out on both sides so I could evaluate my weakness. At the end of the game, I look upon the board with satisfaction at the very perfection of it, and my lips part to utter one final, victorious word.

"Stalemate."


End file.
